Player Page

Bryce Hager | Linebacker

Latest News

Recent News

Rams traded up with the Jets to select Baylor ILB Bryce Hager with the No. 224 overall pick in the 2015 draft.

Hager (6'1/234) made 32 starts as Baylor's middle linebacker, piling up 24 TFLs, seven sacks and five forced fumbles. He made second-team All-Big 12 in each of his final three seasons. Hager showed pro-quality athleticism at the Combine, running 4.6-flat with a 35-inch vertical and 9-foot-9 broad jump, also pumping 26 reps on the bench. Although he is not built ideally for inside linebacker, Hager flashes impressive first-step burst and plus pass-coverage skills. He may end up on the weak side in the pros. Sat, May 2, 2015 05:36:00 PM

"The Bears' defense received a huge boost for next season with Shawn Oakman returning, but they will really miss Hager patrolling the middle of the field," Brugler wrote. "He lacks ideal athleticism and range, but his first step and ball awareness are above average." Hager was a consensus Preseason All-American Candidate and showed up on numerous watch lists including the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronco Nagurski Award, and the Rotary Lombardi Award. While Hager's measurables won't blow you away, consider us fans of his. Hager is highly intelligent, getting to the football quickly due more to his brains than his feet. Fri, Jan 9, 2015 03:38:00 PM

Player News

"The Bears' defense received a huge boost for next season with Shawn Oakman returning, but they will really miss Hager patrolling the middle of the field," Brugler wrote. "He lacks ideal athleticism and range, but his first step and ball awareness are above average." Hager was a consensus Preseason All-American Candidate and showed up on numerous watch lists including the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronco Nagurski Award, and the Rotary Lombardi Award. While Hager's measurables won't blow you away, consider us fans of his. Hager is highly intelligent, getting to the football quickly due more to his brains than his feet.

Hager was a consensus Preseason All-American Candidate and showed up on numerous watch lists including the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronco Nagurski Award, and the Rotary Lombardi Award. His measurables won't blow you away, but Hager is an intelligent middle linebacker who finds the football. "He’s a tough, run defending linebacker who plays assignment football," TFY Draft Insider's Tony Pauline wrote last month. Hager projects to go in the Rds. 5-7 range.

Hager leads Baylor in tackles with 73. TFY Draft Insider's Tony Pauline praised the senior earlier this month. "He’s a tough, run defending linebacker who plays assignment football," wrote Pauline." The analyst added that the two-time All-Big 12 LB (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) "grades as a late round pick who’ll do well on the inside of a 3-4 alignment."

Hager notched 8.5 tackles and intercepted a pass in Saturday's big win against Oklahoma, which earned him the status of "Week 11 Riser" from Pauline. "He’s a tough, run defending linebacker who plays assignment football," wrote Pauline, saying that the 6-foot-2, 235-pound senior "grades as a late round pick who’ll do well on the inside of a 3-4 alignment." Hager is a two-time All-Big 12 Linebacker.

ESPN's Mel Kiper believes Baylor senior LB Bryce Hager will test as a better athlete at the combine than popular logic suggests.

"An established leader, Hager runs the show on defense for the Bears," Kiper wrote. Hager looked poised to break out as a national star last year, but he was bit by misfortune. He had 18 tackles against Kansas State on October 12, but suffered a groin injury in the contest. After trying to tough it out for a few games, the Bears pulled the plug on his season in November. Hager missed spring practices but will be healthy for summer camp.

Bears defensive coordinator Phil Bennett confirmed the news. Hager suffered a groin injury in October against Kansas State. He toughed it out for a few games, but ended up missing the last four games of the season. Hager is expected to be fully healthy for summer camp beginning in August.